Spring has arrived, and with it, rain. While they might not be the first thing you gleefully toss into your pack at the start of a camping trip, a good pair of rain pants can make or break your fun in the outdoors, whether that be on an intense wilderness trek or a drizzly stroll with your dog (and you’ll want to wear them even if you’re carrying an umbrella).
Though colorful rain jackets seem to capture everyone’s attention this time of year, I’m here to stake a claim for their less-sexy partners in crime, rain pants. I asked several of my favorite outdoor professionals for their top picks when it comes to keeping your lower half warm and dry, and here’s what they came up with. Read on for the season’s best rain pants.
What to look for in rain pants
Any great pair of rain pants should be durable, breathable and, well, rain-proof. Though most styles we found only come in one drab black colorway, there are a lot of different features to consider when selecting what to splurge on and what to skip.
Waterproofing
Most rain-oriented outdoor gear is treated with a DWR (durable water-repellent coating), which is applied to the outside of the item so that water will bead up and glide off of it. Over time, this outer protective layer will degrade, but the inner lining will still help keep you dry. Similarly, you might see a waterproof rating in millimeters, which means the material has been subjected to a hydrostatic water column test. In this test, a 1-inch diameter tube is placed over the fabric and filled until the fabric soaks through. The higher this number, the more waterproof your rain pants will be.
Breathability
No one wants to feel sticky and claustrophobic inside the pants that are designed to keep them comfortable and dry while hiking. While some pants on this list are made of a less-breathable (but more water- and wind-proof) hard-shell material, others are equipped with a multi-layered fabric design that repels water while venting heat. One of these layers will typically be a porous membrane with tiny holes that are so small that water cannot get through. Keep an eye out for this if you know you’re going to be slogging uphill in soggy weather.
Fit and stretch
A solid set of rain pants will ideally slide on over your base layers or hiking pants, or, if they’re made of soft-shell material, feature a waist that’s similar to your favorite trousers so that they can be worn alone. In either case, the pants should be snug enough to not catch an errant branch or boulder and stretchy enough to comfortably tackle high steps with ease. Though it’ll add weight and lessen packability, many pants come equipped with full-length side zippers, which are awesome for venting in warm, humid environments or for putting the pants on and off in intermittent showers.
The best women’s rain pants
“I've had the Patagonia Torrentshell pants for some years and see no reason to switch because these things are bombproof,” says adventurer, author and CNN contributor Heather Balogh Rochfort. (Spoiler alert: the brand’s jacket was our number one pick for rain jackets, too.) “I once paddled for five days through torrential rain in Alaska's Gates of the Arctic National Park and they never even considered wetting out,” she says, adding that the side zippers are only half-length on these babies, meaning fewer opportunities for a failure that leaves you soaked. Bonus points to Patagonia for recently upgrading to DWR-free waterproofing, which is better for the environment.
Avid thru-hiker, skier, and mountain dweller Heather Lee McCoy prefers moisture-repelling trekking trousers to full-on rain pants. “I tend to overheat quickly while hiking and climbing and prefer water-resistant material versus waterproof,” she says. For an affordable soft-shell pant option, check out REI’s Activator 3.0 Pants, which offer loads of secure pockets and a drawstring cuff option at the ankle to help keep out muck or cross swollen streams.
If you'll be adventuring in lower temperatures, you'll want something that both repels moisture and keeps you toasty in the mountains. That’s why CNN Underscored contributor Erica Zazo chose Arc’teryx’s Sentinel Pants as her go-to pick. Not only are they designed by women, for women, they’re also incredibly breathable for a hard-shell trouser. “I found the Sentinel pants balanced keeping me dry while also allowing sweat underneath my shell to dissipate throughout the day,” says Zazo.
If I’m going on an overnight backpacking trip where space and weight are my top priorities, and there’s only a chance of short afternoon showers, I tend to grab a soft-shell slack instead of a full-on rain pant. Outdoor Research’s legendary Ferrosi Pants certainly lived up to the hype when I tested them this spring and summer, shedding mild weather with ease while boasting a stylish, jean-like cut that’s perfect for après beers.
Arc’teryx’s Beta AR Rain Pants are the brand’s update to its much-loved Beta SL series. Made with three-layer Gore-Tex fabric, the pants also feature full-length zippers along both legs, which is ideal if you’ll be putting them on over boots or crampons. These babies also come with removable suspenders, so you can wear them like a bib or regular slacks.
“I have worn these many times during rain, hail and snow storms while trekking,” says McCoy of Mountain Hardwear’s Chockstone Alpine Pant, which are a great soft-shell option with four-way stretch for hikers and climbers who want to go fast and light and aren’t expecting a torrential downpour. “These pants are my preference, due to the nylon soft-shell fabric, which breathes well and resists abrasion, wind and water for long-lasting durability during cold, wet and windy hikes,” she says.
UK-based Rab is a fantastic European brand and a climate-neutral company that really knows its alpine gear. “Unlike other waterproof pants, these are a favorite because they don't have that ‘crunchy’ feeling,” says Rochfort. The Kinetic 2.0 pant is rated at an impressive 20,000 millimeters of waterproofness and made out of Proflex polyurethane fabric, which boasts a natural stretch. “During a week-long backpacking trip in Olympic National Park's Hoh Rainforest, we spent hours bushwhacking through wet brush and grabby branches. I stayed dry and the pants stayed intact,” recalls Rochfort.
Want a hard-shell, waterproof pant that doesn’t just come in a drab black or gray tone? Though pricey, Ortovox’s Westalpen 3L pants are an easy-to-vent, bomb-proof design that’s sure to make any alpine athlete smile. Not only do the adjustable hems fit seamlessly over boots, eliminating the need for traditional gaiters, they’re also constructed with a Toray Dermizax NX outer membrane, which sheds moisture while remaining breathable.
The best men’s rain pants
If you’ve ever hiked in Tasmania (like I did last April), you know that it’s one of the muddiest, most rugged environments on the planet. “The Overland Track has varied ecosystems and wild terrain, so it’s important to be prepared,” says Justin Dyer, field experience manager for Tasmanian Walking Company's Cradle Mountain Signature Walk, one of its most famous treks. “These rain pants are lightweight, compact and versatile, protecting me from wet weather and wind chill in areas such as Marion’s Lookout, which is the steepest and most exposed part of the journey,” he explains.
I picked up a pair of Arc’teryx’s Gamma Pants for my partner this summer, after moving from Los Angeles to Boulder and quickly realizing that afternoon thunderstorms are a thing. After three months of heavy use, they’ve become his favorite adventure trousers for both day hikes and backpacking trips, shedding water with impressive ease, especially considering their scant 1-pound, 1-ounce weight.
When I first set off to visit every national park in 2020, I knew that I’d need a sturdy pair of rain pants, but I wasn’t ready to shell out $200+ for something I’d only wear occasionally. Thankfully, Marmot came to the rescue with this lightweight, full-featured (think zippered pockets and multiple venting options) pair that’s easy on the wallet. Available in both men’s and women’s sizes (short and long lengths available, too), these have become a staple for my wet weather adventures.
“I recommend Helly Hansen waterproof pants because they're incredibly lightweight, durable and keep out the rain and moisture,” says Robin West, vice president and general manager of expeditions for Seabourn, which guides trips to the furthest corners of the earth, like Antarctica and Greenland. “They're also very stretchy, which is helpful for movement during our expedition experiences. They truly offer some of the best gear for rainy and snowy environments,” he says.
Yes, we listed the Torrentshell 3L Rain Pants as a top pick for both men and women; that isn’t a typo. At $129, they’re cheaper than most of the competition, plus they’re PVC-free and Fair Trade Certified. Tack on the fact that they’re incredibly light — just 11.8 ounces — and you’ll start to see why they’ve accrued quite the fan base.
Another fabulous option from UK-based Rab, the Downpour Plus 2.0 Pants are rated at an impressive 20,000mm and made with a 2.5-layer Pertex Shield with a recycled face fabric. Articulated knees mean you’ll still be able to boulder-hop when it’s dumping rain, and an elasticized waist means they’re easy to slide on and off when it counts. Our only qualm? The sizing is a bit off — my partner is usually a size medium and, for these, he needed to size up to a large.
Featuring Mountain Hardwear’s bespoke Gore-Tex Paclite fabric, which is packable, ultralight and fully taped for maximum waterproofness, these are the lightest men’s pant on our list, weighing in at a scant 10.6 ounces for a size medium. Sure, they’re only a two-layer design (which helps keep the weight down and the compressibility high), but the Exposure/2 Gore-Tex Paclite Pant is a sincerely awesome choice when space and weight savings are top of mind. Still not convinced? The garment stows away in its zippered back pocket when not in use.
We couldn’t round out our men’s list without a cold-weather option, and West said that these insulated, waterproof trousers are his favorite for frigid expeditions. “They're super insulated and made with Helly Tech, a waterproof and breathable outer layer between you and the icy, frigid elements,” he says. “The make of the material will keep water molecules out, while allowing sweat vapor to pass through, which keeps you dry from the rough outside elements and comfortable on the inside.”